With the intensity of summer behind us, fall is a time when most Islanders take a breath and enjoy a slower paced lifestyle. However, for those of us interested in creatures of the avian kind, fall is a time of movement and exciting discoveries.
Southbound migration is always a special time for birders and one that we look forward to each year because one never knows what may be carried in on a northerly wind. Last week, the Island experienced the season’s first major onslaught of neotropic migrants. Clear conditions and north winds the nights of Sept. 27 and 28 delivered a variety of species. According to BirdCast estimations, 222,300 migrants passed over Dukes County those two evenings. A portion of these birds took respite on the Vineyard, giving birders a chance to witness them.
On Sept. 29, Bob Shriber and Nancy Nordin experienced a day in Aquinnah that birders dream about. They recorded an outstanding 16 species of warbler including a black-and-white warbler, mourning warbler, two common yellowthroat, three American redstarts, three ovenbirds, two Cape May warblers, two Northern parulas, a magnolia warbler, two bay-breasted warblers, two blackburnian warblers, two chestnut-sided warblers, five blackpoll warblers, a palm warbler, two pine warblers, seven yellow-rumped warblers, and four prairie warblers. The also spied an indigo bunting, scarlet tanager, swamp sparrow, field sparrow, white-throated sparrow, six ruby-crowned kinglets and three blue-headed vireos for good measure.
Many others were treated to migrating warbler sightings this week. On Sept. 28, Eileen B. spotted three yellow-rumped warblers in Edgartown, while I observed a hooded warbler at Upper Lagoon Pond. Blackpoll warblers were especially abundant across the Island this week. The quartet of Sue Whiting, Bob Shriber, Charles Moreno and Jacqui Sluek saw several near Black Point on Sept. 25, Will Black had one off Holly Bear Lane on Sept. 26, and I encountered one at Upper Lagoon Pond on Sept. 28. Additional sighting on Sept. 28 came from Nancy Nordin off Lighthouse Road and the Martha’s Vineyard Bird Club led by Bob Shriber, and Lanny McDowell recorded two at the Aquinnah circle. Cynthia Bloomquist and Thaw Malin even found one waiting for them in their blueberry patch after returning from an up-Island outing.
Cape May warblers were also a welcome discovery. Sue Whiting and her group spotted one near Black Point on Sept. 25, Bob Shriber saw another in Aquinnah on Sept. 26, and on Sept. 28, I observed one at upper Lagoon Pond, while Nancy Nordin reported a sighting near Lighthouse Road. September 28 also produced two northern waterthrush sightings: I spotted one skulking along a wooded stream at Upper Lagoon Pond, and Nancy Nordin found another near Lighthouse Road.
That same day, an undoubtedly exhausted Nashville warbler was photographed by Azure D’Angelo after it landed to rest on a fishing vessel off the south shore. Two additional individuals of this species were also recorded by Sue Whiting, Bob Shriber, Charles Moreno and Jacqui Sluek on Sept. 25 near Black Point.
While the brightly colored warblers often steal the spotlight during passerine migration, their subtler sparrow cousins shouldn’t be overlooked. This week brought the first sightings of swamp sparrows. Observations were reported by Charles Moreno in Aquinnah on Sept. 25, Sue Whiting at upper Lagoon Pond the same day, and Allen Keith at Squibnocket on Sept. 28. Another early winter resident, the white-throated sparrow, was spotted by Eileen B. in Edgartown on Sept. 28.
Other winter arrivals are starting to trickle in as well, including the season’s first hooded merganser and American wigeon. The latter was photographed by Sharon Simonin at Sheriff’s Meadow Pond on Sept. 29, while I observed the former at upper Lagoon Pond on Sept. 30. Additionally, two dark-eyed juncos were reported by Eileen B. on Milkin Way, Edgartown.
Sightings of vireos were also a highlight this week. The striking blue-headed vireo was reported form several locations. Will Black saw one on Holly Bear Lane on Sept. 26, Nancy Nordin on Sept. 28 off Lighthouse Road, and Allen Keith in Squibnocket on Sept. 28. In addition, the lesser observed Philadelphia vireo was reported by Sue Whiting, Bob Shriber, Charles Moreno and Jacqui Sluek on Sept. 25 in Chillmark.
While the forests and fields captured the attention of most birders this week, the beaches and saltmarshes did not disappoint those who took the time to look. A Forster’s tern was observed by Cynthia Bloomquist during the MV Bird Club outing in Aquinnah.
On Sept. 28, Eve Carey had the incredible fortune of spotting five parasitic jaegers off South Beach — seeing even one of these birds is exciting, let alone five! Additionally, a Cory’s shearwater was observed by Bob Shriber off the Aquinnah cliffs on Sept. 26. There were also some notable shorebird sightings. On Sept. 25, Jennifer Slossberg saw a whimbrel near Great Neck Road and Phillip Edmondson had a solitary sandpiper on South Beach. A lingering willet at Eel Pond was reported by Sea Williams and Bridget Dunnigan on Sept. 28, and by Luanne Johnson on Sept. 29. Sean and Bridget also reported an American Golden Plover at Little Beach.
American Oystercatcher can still be seen in abundance. Twenty-three were counted on Little Beach by Sea Williams and Bridget Dunnigan on Sept. 28, and a flock of 19 were reported by Allen Keith at Norton Point on Sept. 29.
Other noteworthy sightings include a purple finch observed by Bob Shriber in Aquinnah on Sept 26, and red-breasted nuthatches seen by Cynthia Bloomquist, Thaw Malin and Nancy Nordin in Aquinnah on Sept. 28. Sea Williams and Bridget Dunnigan spotted a marsh wren in Edgartown on the same day.
Several bobolinks were observed by the MV Bird Club during their Saturday foray to Aquinnah, and I had a glimpse of a veery at upper Lagoon Pond on Sept. 28; this bird was later re-found the following day by David Padulo, Luanne Johnson and Nancy Weaver.
Like last week, Tisbury Great Pond seems to be a congregation point for the Island’s tree swallows. I had a high count of 1,200 at Long Point on Sept. 26. Ken Magnuson had an unexpected encounter with an American woodcock, which appeared in his headlights at the Edgartown Golf Club on Sept. 26.
Finally, Allen Keith reported a flock of eight American pipits at Norton Point on Sept. 29.
Shea Fee is the president of the Martha’s Vineyard Bird Club and a coastal ecologist with The Trustees of Reservations.
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